Florida State's Taylor Walls dives to the plate to score the first run for the Noles in the top of the first inning of the NCAA regional final against Auburn at Dick Howser Stadium Monday night.(Photo: Hali Tauxe/Democrat)Buy Photo

Florida State (43-21) scratched and clawed all weekend long after putting itself into a win-or-go-home scenario with a 3-1 loss to No. 4 seed Tennessee Tech in its first game of the Tallahassee regional.

Four straight elimination games - and just three days - later, the Seminoles are off to the super regional round as the Tallahassee regional champion.

"He really kept us off balance. He showed his fastball, but what he really wanted to pitch off his breaking ball."

He had a no-hitter going until the bottom of the sixth inning, when he gave up a single, but promptly erased the runner with a double play. He faced just one over the minimum through the first eight innings.

He gave up just two hits in the game without a single walk.

At the plate, FSU got it started early.

Taylor Walls led off the game with a five-pitch walk, and Dylan Busby stayed hot with a RBI-double to left center to give the Seminoles a one-run lead.

Jackson Lueck walked in the next at-bat, and Auburn starter Gabe Klobositz’s day ended without recording an out.

Auburn would bring in Calvin Coker, and FSU gave the Tigers the first out of the game with a sacrifice bunt to move the runners over. Cal Raleigh drove in a run with an RBI-groundout to second to make it 2-0 after the first.

"Certainly it made us feel good, not comfortable, since we know how good Auburn is," Martin said.

The Seminoles had a chance to extend its lead in the top of the sixth after a lead-off double off the right field screen for Busby, and Auburn turned to junior left Andrew Mitchell.

FSU chose to bunt Busby over to third with three-hole hitter Lueck, but pop outs by Quincy Nieporte and Cal Raleigh ended the threat.

The Seminoles got another chance in the top of the seventh with two runners in scoring position and two outs.

Freshman pitcher Ryan Watson attempted to pick off junior Steven Wells Jr. at second base and threw the ball into left field. Senior Matt Henderson came home on the play to make it 3-0.

They broke the game open in the top of the eighth with RBI-doubles by Quincy Nieporte and Drew Mendoza off the screen in right center to make it 5-0.

Wells added to FSU's lead in the top of the ninth inning with a solo-homerun over the left field wall to make it 6-0.

Florida State's Taylor Walls dives to the plate to score the first run for the Noles in the top of the first inning of the NCAA regional final against Auburn at Dick Howser Stadium Monday night.
Hali Tauxe/Democrat